ROCK HILL, SC - Attorneys for young victims sexually abused by a MorningStar Fellowship Church youth leader and former North Carolina police officer today announced three lawsuits against the youth leader, Erickson Lee, as well as the church, Morningstar, founder and senior pastor Richard Joyner, former church vice president David Yarnes, former head of security Douglas Lee, Chase Portello and others they say turned a blind eye to years of exploitation and abuse. The attorneys have also alleged there were multiple instances of sexual assault which occurred prior to the current series of events that was never reported to law enforcement and supposedly handled in house.
The victims, whose abuse at Lee’s hands began as early as 13-years-old, are represented by Randy Hood and Chad McGowan of McGowan, Hood, Felder, and Phillips. They are identified only as John Doe #1, John Doe #2 and John Doe #3 in order to protect their identities.
Due to the complaints from the victims’ parents, Lee was arrested by the York County Sheriff’s Office and, last week, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the second degree, criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the third degree, assault and battery in the first degree, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and dissemination of obscene material to a minor.
Neither Lee’s crimes nor prior allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct at MorningStar Fellowship Church were reported to law enforcement by church leaders at the time of discovery. According to the lawsuit, several of those named as defendants actually witnessed much of Lee’s misconduct firsthand and did nothing to stop it. The attorneys say at least one of the defendants, Chase Portello, helped Lee threaten and intimidate his victims.
“The simple fact is that the leaders of MorningStar Fellowship Church not only failed to protect these young victims, they enabled and protected their abuser even after witnessing much of the abuse firsthand,” said Hood. “They had the chance to do the right thing on multiple occasions but, instead, tried to sweep it under the rug with at least one of them trying to help Lee try and intimidate his young victims.”
